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% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
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,,,,,,,,~- SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,~-:%¤¤@# FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR #@¤¤%:-~,,
,~-:%¤¤@## THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ##@¤¤%:-~,
,,~-:%¤¤@# AND A GIFT SHOP. #@¤¤%:-~,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% CONSIDERED POOR. %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,~-:%¤¤@# GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. #@¤¤%:-~,,
,~-:%¤¤@## ##@¤¤%:-~,
,,~-:%¤¤@# %% #@¤¤%:-~,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ %% %% @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ ------- % % ------- ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ %% %% ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% %% %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,~-:%¤¤@# IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM #@¤¤%:-~,,
,~-:%¤¤@## WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ##@¤¤%:-~,
,,~-:%¤¤@# OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. #@¤¤%:-~,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,~-:%¤¤@# %% #@¤¤%:-~,,
,~-:%¤¤@## %% %% ##@¤¤%:-~,
,,~-:%¤¤@# ------- % % ------- #@¤¤%:-~,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ %% %% @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ %% ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,~-:%¤¤@# SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO #@¤¤%:-~,,
,~-:%¤¤@## THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ##@¤¤%:-~,
,,~-:%¤¤@# IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL #@¤¤%:-~,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ FLOOR. ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,~-:%¤¤@# HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. #@¤¤%:-~,,
,~-:%¤¤@## THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ##@¤¤%:-~,
,,~-:%¤¤@# #@¤¤%:-~,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ BECOME STILL. ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, %% ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, %% %% ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ------- % % ------- ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, %% %% ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ %% ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,~-:%¤¤@# FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, #@¤¤%:-~,,
,~-:%¤¤@## SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ##@¤¤%:-~,
,,~-:%¤¤@# AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. #@¤¤%:-~,,
,,,~-:%¤¤@ @¤¤%:-~,,,
,,,,~-:%¤¤ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¤¤%:-~,,,,
,,,,,~-:%¤ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¤%:-~,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:% GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND %:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,,,,,,,,,
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